Lucille's Apple Butter Recipe
Try Lucille's Apple Butter Recipe with fresh apples, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, and vanilla for a rich homemade spread full of flavor
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon (very important for stirring love into it!)
- Sharp peeler
- Apple corer or knife
- Blender or immersion blender
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Clean glass jars with lids for storage
Ingredients
- 3 lbs apples Granny Smith, Fuji, or mixed varieties
- 1 cup brown sugar adjust to taste
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup apple cider or water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice optional, for balance
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the apples
- Peel, core, and chop your apples into medium-sized chunks. Don’t stress about perfect cuts — they’re going to cook down completely anyway.
Step 2: Start cooking
- Place apples in a large pot. Add apple cider or water. Cook on medium heat until the apples begin to soften, about 20–25 minutes.
Step 3: Mash them down
- Once soft, use a spoon or potato masher to break them down. At this stage, it should look like chunky applesauce.
Step 4: Add sweeteners and spices
- Now add both sugars, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice. Stir well until everything dissolves into the mixture.
Step 5: Slow simmer magic
- Lower the heat and let it simmer uncovered. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. This is where Lucille's Apple Butter Recipe begins to transform — the mixture thickens and darkens.
Step 6: Blend until smooth
- Once the mixture becomes thick and reduced, use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender. Blend until silky smooth.
Step 7: Add vanilla and finish cooking
- Stir in vanilla extract and continue cooking for another 30–45 minutes until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency.
Step 8: Cool and store
- Let it cool completely before transferring into sterilized jars.
Notes
- Don’t rush the simmering process — slow cooking builds flavor
- Stir often near the end to prevent burning
- Taste before final cooking stage and adjust sweetness
- Use mixed apple varieties for deeper flavor
- A pinch of salt enhances sweetness more than extra sugar